Beneficence
by Shizuku Tsukishima749
Summary: -21st World Martial Arts Tournament Arc.- Innocent little Goku does more for Nam than he will ever realize. Oneshot.


_A/N: _This is set during the 21st World Martial Tournament (otherwise known as the Tournament Arc). It studies the interactions and relationship between two of the competitors, Goku and Nam. If you'll remember, Nam is the Indian man who journeys from his drought-struck desert village in order to compete in the tournament, hoping to use the prize money to purchase the desperately-needed water for his village. Throughout the tournament, sweet little Goku has small moments with Nam that seem to really push the man forward, and while I embellished on some of these, I mostly kept true to their main objective in effort to show the beauty and maturity that rises from the odd, yet amazing friendship that comes of these two together.

_Disclaimer: _I do not own Dragon Ball. Akira Toriyama does, as well as anyone affiliated.

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><p><strong>Beneficence<strong>

The 21st World Martial Arts Tournament is where Nam meets the dear child for the first time.

/\/\/\

Nam is here for the sake of his family.

Meditating just before his first match with the Giras called Giran, the young man focuses on the sad, yet hopeful faces of those he's left behind.

Vaguely, he wonders how they're doing, if they're all right. He can only pray that all is as well with them as it can be, that they'll hold on just a little longer.

_I will save you, my brothers and sisters_, he vows. _You will not be forsaken._

To his left, the wastefully-eating pterodactyl-like dinosaur smacks his lips loudly as he tears at his numerous slabs of meat. Nam does his best to ignore him, but finds this nearly impossible as he realizes just how long he's gone without a proper meal (really, without more than a mere root or broth here and there).

And as if prodded by fate, his long-empty stomach growls noisily.

His face tints a bright red, and he attempts to clear his mind once more when a new voice breaks in.

"I know that you're hungry!" Nam opens his eyes, which widen in surprise to find a small, grinning, wild-haired boy standing before him, holding out Giran's plate of assorted meats. "Eat up!"

And it is now that the Indian recognizes the child.

This is little Goku, the twelve-year-old student of the famed Master Roshi and the youngest competitor in the history of this competition. From what little Nam has seen of him, he's exceptionally strong for a child and seems to be very much loved by his friends.

Nam turns his attention to the food now, though instead of taking advantage of the offer he wages war inwardly.

How can he possibly eat when his people are increasingly in danger of starving to death? While he might be hungrier than he's ever been in his life, he knows what little he's been able to scavenge in his travels is more than those he loves have eaten in months…

For all of this boy's kindness, he just can't bring himself to do it.

Goku, however, seems to have other plans.

Taking three of the assorted meats from the plate, he hands the plate back to a disgruntled Giran.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of Nam, the boy sets two of the meat slabs in his lap and tears off a sliver of the one he still holds.

Very gently, he presses it to the painfully thin man's lips. In an instant, Nam's face is frightened, ghostly pale, and the child's countenance softens lovingly. As he peers into the older's eyes, it is as if Goku is gently caressing Nam's soul.

And before he knows it the Indian has eaten all three.

The Savior of Light beams blindingly.

"See? I know a hungry stomach when I hear one!"

And Nam can't help but smile gratefully in return.

/\/\/\

His match against Ranfan is…unconventional, at best.

The woman is practically altogether indecent in the ring, and he can't help the flood of very masculine emotions that wash over him.

He strives to concentrate on what he is fighting for, on his reason for entering this tournament in the first place.

He vowed when he left the village and has so many times since that he would never allow anything or anyone to get in his way.

This is _still_ his solemn vow!

So why can't he move past this?

"Hey, Nam!" He snaps up at the familiar, youthful voice. Glancing to his left, he spies a curious-eyed Goku perched on the ring-boundary wall. "Why aren't you fighting?"

Something within Nam jolts at this, and the smallest of smiles graces his lips.

He nods thankfully at the child, then turns toward his _female _opponent and reaffirms his fighting stance.

His village needs him.

_ Thank you, child_.

/\/\/\

There is something painful, yet liberating here.

Gazing down at his unconscious little warrior friend, it takes Nam several moments to understand that this is truly happening.

This fight pitted him and Goku against each other.

Though Nam had always known the child was strong, the youth surpassed everyone's expectations. He'd taken every punch, every hit, as it came, counterattacked and come back from things that would have sent even the world's best warriors spiraling into defeat.

But this boy… It had taken Nam's last resort, his Aerial Attack, to finally take the twelve-year-old down.

It was never Nam's wish to hurt Goku. On the contrary, he's grown to love this young boy in the short time he's known him.

But at the same time, he is desperate to help his village. The prize money from this tournament will be used to purchase the water necessary to end his home desert's killing drought.

And somehow, he knows the child will understand.

Kneeling down, he strokes the fallen warrior's cheek tenderly.

It is because of this boy that he will soon feel the elated hugs of his little brothers, Dabu and Ami. It is because of this boy that he will soon know the at-last _happy_ tears of his dear Mother. It is because of this boy that his village will survive.

He hopes Goku wakes soon.

Nam can thank him then.

/\/\/\

He doesn't know whether to cry or shout for joy at first.

He lost.

His one chance to save his people…and it slipped right through his fingers…

But just when he is about to make the long journey home with noble head hanging in defeat, his young Savior of Light stops him.

Pressing a pill-sized device Goku calls a 'Dino Cap' into Nam's hand, the child explains that inside it's actually a massive storage container that can hold more than enough water for Nam's village.

Now that he mentions it, the older thinks he recalls some of the others mentioning something about these inventions, notably their expense. And when taking into account the fact that Goku had been beaten out of the tournament title by his very own mentor, Master Roshi…suddenly everything makes sense…

Tears of unrivaled happiness well in the Indian's eyes.

"So you and your family will be all right," the smiling child professes, like it's the simplest and most obvious thing in the world.

And to him, perhaps it is.

As for Nam, one warm hand comes to rest on Goku's head as the tears plummet from the end of his nose and chin and drip from his eyelashes to connect with the soft green grass beneath their feet.

Goku peers up at him, growing concerned when he sees this new development.

"What's wrong, Nam?" he asks confusedly. "Did I do something wrong?"

But the desert-dwelling man merely bends down to the boy's level and takes a long moment to kiss his forehead meaningfully.

"No, my child," he assures, pulling back and opening his warm brown eyes to display their salty wetness proudly. "You have brought new life to my family. I don't know how it shall be done, but I will repay you one day."

Goku, hands behind his head, just laces his fingers together and grins.

"No problem at all! I'm just glad I could help! Besides, Master Roshi and my grandfather taught me to protect the innocent, and that includes you and your family!" He lays a gentle, ever-loving hand on the man's thin shoulder and squeezes strongly. "It'll be okay!"

And once more, Nam cannot hold back the smile that comes to his face.

This child has given him food, renewed his hope, been the answer to his prayers.

He is meant for great things.

Great things, indeed.

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><p><em>AN: _As this is my first DB fic (meaning I've also never written either of these characters before), please forgive me if I got anything wrong (other than the embellished parts, which _should _be ovious if you're familiar enough with the episode)!

That being said, this is my explanation for changing the ending: while originally Master Roshi gives Nam the Dino Cap, I thought it would be more fitting if Goku asked Master Roshi for the money to help Nam, and in a moment of touched weakness, Roshi tells Goku to go ahead with his plan before he changes his mind. It might seem a little OOC, and I apologize for that, but Roshi _does _have his moments, and I thought it really would tie things together well (and frankly it's a _better_ way to spend all of that money, no offense meant to Goku's stomach). XD

Thanks so much for reading, as always!


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